This invention relates to impact absorbing bumper mounting units for vehicles and more particularly to improved controlled collapse mounting units for automotive bumpers.
Various designs for collapsible bumper mounting units have been proposed providing bumber assemblies with impact absorption. Examples of such prior art mounts are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,495,474 to Nishimura et al and 3,412,628 to DeGain. These patents teach bumper assemblies supported to the frame of a vehicle by corrugated tubular members wherein the plastic deformation of the members during impact is varied by means of a plurality of slits disposed axially and parallel to each other on the periphery of the corrugations. This allows varying the impact absorption properties of the tubes by the number and size of the slits. A further example of a bumper mount is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,258 wherein controlled energy absorbing bumper supports include collapsible corrugated frame portions.